Ashtangasamgraha 23.2

23.2

Administering a medicament, one should first of all examine the patient thus:
In what region was this person born, reared, or taken ill; and in what region is this the food of the people, this the regimen of conduct, of such degree is their strength, of such nature their mental state, of such nature their habituation, this their fondness, these their diseases, this is wholesome, and this is unwholesome?
Or by prior intake of which specific etiological factor has his doṣa become aggravated?
For there are many causes for the aggravation of even a single doṣa;
therefore, having understood the doṣa by its respective characteristics and actions, the physician should comprehend it thus:
namely,
was vāta aggravated by food, or by regimen, likewise by dry, light, or cold [things], or by rash exertion, suppression of natural urges, or fear, or grief?
And then, a medicine that is its counteractive being applied, it leads quickly to success;
there, sweet, sour, and saline tastes, and pungent, bitter, and astringent ones, are mutually counteractive.
Immediately thereafter, one should ascertain:
How was the etiology indulged in, according to mild, moderate, or excessive variations?
For even of a single cause, according to the distinction of mild and so forth, and of the separate or combined doṣas, due to the specific variation of strength in fraction by fraction, there is a variation of strength and weakness of the disease;
there, in diseases consisting of multiple doṣas and in medicaments with multiple tastes, having examined the specific potency of tastes and doṣas one by one, he should determine the reality of the potency of the disease and the medicament;
but it is not so in every case.
And with those very meats, mixed with the great unctuous substances, bolus-sudation and the like [are administered] frequently to those anointed with them;
by a low or very high pillow, or by other water drunk.